>> join us again at 9:00 for a full hour and a half of news. until then, make it a great saturday everyone. good morning. breaking news. israel and militants trade air strikes overnight. israeli troops mass along the gaza border. could it lead to war? we're live in gaza and tel aviv. welcome to the white house. jill kelley and paula broadwell, the two women at the cente of the scandal involving david petraeus both guest at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. what were they doing there? how did they get access to so many powerful people? and, half baked. twinkie lovers rushing to stores nationwide amid word that their maker is going out of business. is it really the end for the beloved treat? we'll talk to someone in our staff who just bought a lifetime

supply. today is saturday, november 17th, 2012. >> from nbc news, this is "today." with lester holt and erica hill. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm erica hill. many of you may be in mourning this morning for the twinkie. or the snowball. or the ding dong or the ho-ho. >> you know, they overlook snowball. >> that was your snack of choice? and? >> and, it's good. it's like sugarized rubber. the point is it was fun. >> you haven't had these recently until this morning? >> not since i was 11. the memory was better. >> i didn't realize this was chocolate on the inside, actually. >> the company that made them is going iowa way. >> it is. a lot of people understandably very upset about that. not sure whether all the twinkie jokes will have to go away as

well. i think they can stay. later, there's a lot of hard news to cover this morning, including what's happening in the middle east. rockets are flying between gaza and israel, with israel expa expanding its air assaults targeting gaza's infrastructure. hamas is firing back with new longer range weapons, reaching jerusalem for the first time. we've got reporters standing by live in tel aviv and gaza. then we'll introduce you to a pretty incredible 9-year-old girl that was left paralyzed by a car accident caused by a drunk driver. she wanted him to understand just how his actions impacted her life. she wrote a very emotional letter that was read at his sentencing. and it's been a year since michelle parker was last seen. she disappeared the same day she appeared on an episode of "the people's court." we'll get an update on where that investigation stands. cheer leading a fun part of many sports in high school, college and pros, but it can be incredibly dangerous as well and that has a lot of parents worried. coming up, the consequences when

things go wrong. a bit later, lauren scruggs is going to stop by. it's been nearly a year since she was injured by a spinning propeller. she's doing amazingly well, but it's been a tough road. she'll join us in an exclusive interview. we want to begin this half-hour with rising tensions in the middle east. we have two reports this morning from martin fletcher in tel aviv and richard engel in gaza. martin, tell us the latest. >> reporter: lester, good morning. there's been an incredible ramping up of violence this morning. the israelis have already had 200 separate air strikes against palestinian targets in gaza. they've changed the kind of targets they're attacking, not just the rocket infrastructure they've seen in the last few days, but attacking hamas sim bols of power. they attacked the prime minister's office this morning, flattened it completely. that's the building where the prime minister met the egyptian foreign minister yesterday. that building now flattened.

they also attacked the police headquarters, which is a huge building in the center of gaza. there was a huge blaze there. windows were smashed in buildings nearby. both attacks happened early in the morning, so the israelis at least say nobody was inside the buildings. other buildings were also attacked, police buildings, smuggling tunnels, and the palestinians have said this morning that ten palestinians were killed in these raids. that brings the number up to at least 40 palestinians killed over the last several days with violence. and at the same time, the palestinians have been firing rockets into israeli, 30 this morning, three soldiers have been said to be lightly injured, but that's the state of play at the moment and it just looks as if it's going to get worse all day. >> martin fletcher, thanks. richard engel is in gaza. at first glance, you feel like we've seen this before. you were there in gaza four years ago. how has the view on the ground changed? how different are the players at how this particular conflict is playing out?

>> reporter: we have seen tit for tat violence between the palestinians here in gaza and the israelis before, many times before. but this time it feels very different. hamas officials are talking about it in very different terms because of the arab spring, because there are new leaders in tunisia and in egypt. in tunisia, the foreign minister was here in gaza today. hamas is an offshoot of the muslim brotherhood. the egyptian president is now from the muslim brotherhood. the prime minister is from the muslim brotherhood. hamas is counting on this arab solidarity, this new playing field to significantly change the balance of power between the hamas militants, who clearly don't have the kind of weapons that israel has, but they think now that they will have broader political support, not from just the new arab governments, but also from the newly empowered arab street. >> how nervous is this making the united states, though?

given the arab spring, given that tenuous support for pease by the muslim brotherhood, is israel being encouraged to show restraint in this case? >> reporter: i think the united states is asking all parties to show restraint. the president, according to reports, has spoken with mohamed morsi. he's spoken to the israelis. it's in israel's interest. it's in egypt's interest. it's in the united states' interest to tamp this down. it is not, however, in hamas's interest. hamas's entire strategy is to inspire the same kind of revolutionary spirit that brought down mubarak, that threatens to bring down other leaders, particularly in the gulf states, and to use that energy and rage and channel it against israel. it is the kind of unpredictable situation that egypt will have a tough time dealing with right

now and it leaves the united states in a very difficult position. you remember, president obama said in that interview with telemundo that he wasn't sure egypt was really even a steadfast ally right now, he said it's not quite an enemy. right now when you have egyptian officials expressing such solidarity with hamas, it's clear to see why the united states had those doubts. >> richard engel in gaza, thanks very much. we are learning more today about september's deadly consulate attack in benghazi, libya. former cia director david petraeus still reeling from the revelation of his affair, testified on capitol hill behind closed doors. kristin welker is in our washington bureau with more. good morning. >> reporter: general petraeus snuck in and out of the capital on friday, but his testimony is still making waves with lawmakers. some say it only raises more questions about the way the administration landled the benghazi attack. due to the firestorm surrounding his life, reporters were blocked

to spare him embarrassment. lawmakers say petraeus testified that the cia immediately believed that terrorists were involved in the september 11 benghazi assault. that is a stark contrast to the account u.n. ambassador susan rice offered in the days after the incident when she said that what happened in benghazi was a spontaneous attack. some lawmakers said the discrepancy was the result of evolving intelligence, while others noted the cia's initial assessment of terrorism was classified and therefore not included in the talking points rice was given. critics of the administration are demanding more answers while others are defending ambassador rice. >> the original talking points were much more specific about al qaeda involvements, and yet final ones just said indications of extremists. >> i don't think she should be pilloried for this. she did what i would have done or anything else would have done. >> reporter: now those who were in the room said petraeus testified that his resignation

had nothing to do with the consulate attacks, saying it was solely due to the fallout from his admitted extramarital affair. he also apologized for his behavior. a key figure in the resignation of cia director david petraeus is tampa socialite jill kelley. kelley's connections reach outside florida social circles all the way up to the white house. >> reporter: jill kelley and her twin sister lunched twice at the white house, and with their families toured the white house on november 4th, two days before general james clapper, the director of national intelligence, was even told about the petraeus scandal. kelley mentioned the visit in an e-mail to tampa's mayor bob buckhorn, a friend, saying ps, i was at the white house with my friends in the administration this weekend. it was surreal. white house officials say the kelley sisters were invited to meet a mid level counsel. kelley was bipartisan in her outreach. she and her sister dropped in on

a small fundraiser from marco rubio two years ago. the organizer tells nbc news the kelley sisters did not pay, just arrived, posed for the picture and soon left. in another message to tampa's mayor last march, kelley wrote she was trying to stop a local shock jock known as bubba the love sponge from carrying out his threat to deep fat fry the koran, e-mailing, i have petraeus and allen both e-mailing me about getting this dealt with. records show paula broadwell also visited the white house complex at least twice, for meetings on afghanistan in the executive office building. >> i belve that paula broadwell was at one white house meeting that i also attended, but i think and i've always maintained that she's been a serious analyst on this problem. >> reporter: david petraeus apologized to congress members for his behavior. >> he was very sorry that this occurred and anything that occurred with respect to his personal situation had nothing to do with the way he handled benghazi. >> reporter: in other e-mails

released by the city of tampa, jill kelley told the mayor this week her family has been put through the ringer, that her kids are scared and need their home back. for "today," andrea mitchell, nbc news washington. >> john harwood is cnbc's chief correspondent. as we look at this hearing, two parties, two very different takes on that testimony yesterday. is anyone going to be satisfied here? >> i don't think so. i think this is -- what we're seeing in the petraeus scandal and the benghazi issue being prolonged is an extension of some of the conflict and bitterness that we had during the election campaign. i'm not sure what the resolution of that is going to be. i think ultimately that energy is going to get spent and lawmakers are going to turn to the real crisis that is looming over the american economy, which is the fiscal cliff and the potential that we could go back into recession. >> there did seem to be positive

sentiments out of those meetings with the president and congressional leaders. if we're sticking with the positivity theme here, any sense of a timeline here on something getting done? >> yes. the leaders were -- and i agree with you, that was as positive an aftermath of a meeting as you could have hoped for, if you were president obama or anyone in the congress. all four leaders, both parties came out and spoke very encouragingly. they're talking about a two-step process. the first step is to outline a framework for tax changes and entitlement changes, spending cuts, and then you're going to have a process in early 2013 where congress fills in the blanks of that framework. leaders also said they hoped to do it, erica, not at the last minute -- you know, congress has the tendency to go right to the brink. they're talking about trying not to go to december 31st and get it resolved sometime fairly soon after thanksgiving. we'll see if they can do it.

it's one thing to have a positive meeting. it's another thing to have a framework that the rank and file and both parties can follow. >> is there a sense that the rank and file in both parties are willing to take a cue from the leaders and work towards this to get it done before the end of the year? >> reporter: it's always difficult to find followshershi in the congress, but there's a greater sense of that before the election that. is why president obama campaigned on these issues during the last 12 months, to try to get some sense of a verdict from the american people. now you can see that he's feeling greater confidence that he's got more leverage, and republicans are a bis chat chac by the outcome. so john boehner and mitch mcconnell have somewhat more control over their flocks than they did before the election. let's get a check of the morning's other top stories. jenna wolf is standing by at the news desk. >> the coast guard is searching for two workers who are missing after a fire on an oil rig in

the gulf of mexico. nine workers were hurt, four of them critically with burns over much of their bodies. the fire broke out friday, was quickly put out. the coast guard says no oil is coming from the well. a national tragedy is still playing out in the plains of west texas. federal investigators are still trying to determine whether a small parade to honor wounded veterans had been given enough warning to clear some train tracks they were trying to cross. a freight train slam spood sboo the tractor-trailer, killing four decorated veterans and injuring 16 people. there's been another terrible train crash, this one in southern egypt. it appears a railroad crossing was not closed when a speeding train collided with a bus today as it was taking kindergarteners to school. 47 children and two adults were killed in the accident. a missouri man is charged with planning mass shootings in public places.

bolivar police said he bought 20 rounds of ammunition. he changed his target to walmart where he could get additional ammo. he is being held on $500,000 bond. investigators are looking for the cause of a raging fire at a chemical plant in texas. witnesses say they heard several explosions. there have been no reports of anyone hurt. hall of famer mike ditka is recovering today from what doctors are calling a very minor stroke. the former chicago bears head coach was hospitalized friday. ditka, who is 73, was playing cards at a country club when he noticed his hands were quite working right and that he had a problem speaking. he says he now feels fine but he won't appear on espn's nfl shows this weekend. also, he will lay off the cards for just a little bit. finally, our thanks to the person who invented dash cam video. and dvr. but mainly dash cam video. check this out. a car hitting a police cruiser head-on in wisconsin.

the officer's near brush with death started with a routine traffic stop. seconds later, his patrol car was hit head-on. the officer was hurt. the other driver was not. investigators believe fatigue could have caused the crash. said dash cam video afterwards, you're welcome. that's the news. now back to lester and erica. >> thanks, jenna. you're going to hear about that one for a while. dylan, you're here with a check of the forecast. >> she tried to throw it in there. it could catch on. we are talking about pretty nice

good saturday morning everybody. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. we're off to a nice, clear start on your saturday morning. it is going to be a great day to be outside today. off to a cool start though. temperatures around the metro area middle and upper 30s for most. a few cool spots. manassas and bristow at 27 this morning. it's 42 at the naval academy. your saturday planner a chilly start but plenty of sunshine for your afternoon. highs today up into the upper 40s and low 50s. a little bit more clouds tomorrow. and that is your latest forecast. lesters? now to the case of a missing florida mother we've been telling you about. michelle parker was last seen a year ago today, the same day she and the father of her children

appeared on an episode of "the people's court." now her families is reflecting on the year since she's disappeared. nbc's mark potter has the story. >> reporter: another search this month for orlando mom michelle parker. missing for a year now with no approvable explanation for her disappearance, no trace of her whereabouts. parker vanished the day her pre-taped appearance on "the people's court" tv show aired publicly. she was on the show arguing with her ex-fiance dale smith over the cost of a missing engagement ring. smith is the father of two of parker's children and is the last known person to have seen her alive after she dropped off the kids at his house. this devastates her mother. >> i describe it as being at a funeral every single day. every hour of every day. and it never goes away. you can't get away from it, as hard as you try.

>> reporter: parker's family became concerned when she failed to show up for work at a restaurant in nearby sanford, florida. the next day her hummer was found at a parking lot in southeast orlando, and three weeks later her iphone was recovered at an orlando lake. a spokesman for the orlando police department says the lead suspect in the case is still dale smith, the ex-fiance. although no charges have been filed. and smith denies any involvement in parker's disappearance. police say currently there are no updates in the case, but also say the investigatoion is still active and that the department will continue to support the family in search efforts in hopes of locating michelle. lauren erickson is parker's sister and keeps her room filled with her sister's belongings. >> she'll never get dressed up and go out and be with her friends and family which she loved to do. nothing will ever make it right. nothing will ever make it

easier. >> reporter: for the family, the hardest part is having to explain the disappearance to her children. now 20 minutes past the hour. here's erica. >> it's been nearly three weeks since hurricane sandy hit the east coast making landfall along the new jersey coastline. the jersey shore some of the worst damage. many people are living there are just seeing that destruction for the first time. stephanie gosk was there. >> reporter: vision beach on the jersey shore. three neighbors, their houses are totally gone. >> my grandfather has had his house for 63 years. and it was our future. but it's also my past. this is the handle to our stove. >> reporter: how hard is this today? >> it's devastating. it's devastating. i don't know what else to say. the idea of rebuilding doesn't even seem like it's possible

right now. >> reporter: people here today are just trying to understand the scope of the destruction. this house is obviously off its foundation. this is also the second floor. >> even if you could wave a magic wand and everything's going to be put back, it's going to be years before some of that comes back. i woalked on the boardwalk growing up. it's bent like crazy. to see this, it's a big task. my friend joe, i've known him all my life. his whole house is gone. he left his safe in the house. he's digging for it now. >> reporter: tell me what you're hoping to find with this? >> a safe with family mementos, pictures of my parents, just, you know, my eagle scout award. every one of these houses, you're family. and, you know, you all hang out

on the beach together and you watch your kids grow and you watch the grandkids grow. and it's -- you know, you got your memories. >> reporter: for "today," stephanie gosk, nbc news on the jersey shore. still to come, a haunting letter from a drunk driver from a 9-year-old girl left paralyzed from an accident he caused. she will join us live. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

♪ no two people have the same financial goals. pnc works with you to understand yours and help plan for your retirement. visit a branch or call now for your personal retirement review.

still to come on "today," the dangers of cheerleading. what all young athletes need to know. plus, how some young people are trying to make a profit from your lost luggage. but first, these messages.

good morning. it is 7:26 on this saturday, november 17th. i'm richard jordan. topping your news this morning there is a new way to get around town. take a live look. the 495 express lanes are open this morning. this is near the entrance to the lanes in springfield. they opened up around 4:00 this morning. we haven't seen too much traffic on the lanes just yet. but they will get their first true test come monday morning. remember, in order to ride you do need an ez pass to pay the toll. and you can expect some delays on metro this morning on the red line. there will be single tracking between tacoma and forest glen. on the blue line there is single tracking between stadium armory and addison road. there is also single tracking between pentagon city and reagad

yellow lines but that single tracking is only for today. we'll check your forecast next. stay with us.

we are waking up to a cool start. what does the afternoon and the thanksgiving holiday look like? let's get the forecast now from meteorologist chuck bell. >> good morning, richard. a good saturday morning everybody. off to a beautiful start today. nice, clear sky overhead. of course the clear skies during the overnight allow temperatures to cool back into the 20s and 30s so that's where we're starting for the most part. 28 now in winchester and front royal. 30 in culpepper, virginia. 32 in gaithersburg and germantown but 42 in annapolis and edgewater, maryland. today not a bad day at all. mostly sunny. high temperatures will reach up into the low and mid 50s. sun goes down just before 5:00 this afternoon and then for tomorrow a little bit more cloud cover and as a result probably a degree or two cooler on your sunday. highs up into the low 50s tomorrow. then staying cloudy and generally dry all the way through the big travel week.

richard? >> thanks. more news and weather in 25 minutes but now back to the "today" show in new york. we are back on a saturday morning, november 17th, 2012. i'm not sure if you can see them, but the elves here in rockefeller center are hard at work getting the world christmas tree ready for view in a couple weeks. it's very exciting to see that. >> especially elves in hard hats. coming up in this half-hour, it's a bizarre crime story out of belize. john mcafee, the billionaire founder of mcafee anti-virus software, is a person of

interest in a murder case. have you ever lost your bags and never saw them again? >> thankfully not, although i'm guessing you haven't. >> i always get the bag, not always everything in it. but usually you do get your bag in a day or so. wait to you see what happens to some luggage that never gets claimed. it can turn into a high stakes game of poker. and a bit later on, is it the end of an era? twinkie fans everywhere, and snowball fans, as we learned lester holt is this morning. >> and yodles. >> a lot of people worried that the cream-filled snacks are going the way of the dinosaur now that hostess is going out of business. we want to begin this half-hour with a young girl whose life was changed in an instant. she was riding in a car days before her 8th birthday when a drunk driver crashed into her. for that man's sentencing hearing, she wrote him a haunting letter to make him understand what he did to her. but first, jenna is back with more on her story.

good morning. >> good morning to you. so that beautiful little girl right there spent 104 days in the hospital recovering from that accident and she wanted the man responsible to know how he changed her life. >> hi jeremy. i am a 9-year-old, a 4th grader, so i was diagnosed as a paraplegic. >> reporter: on july 9th in fort worth, texas, chili and her sister were going out to get their hair and nails done, where out of anywhere, jeremy, drunk, slammed head-on to their car. she was paralyzed from the chest down. >> there are days that i cry because i can't do what i used to do. >> reporter: at solis's sentencing last week, she tried to read her letter in court but couldn't control her tears. when her mom read it, no one else in the room, including the defendant, could control theirs either. >> i had tubes through my mouth and nose.

>> reporter: solis pleaded guilty to intoxication, assault and was sentenced to ten years. he's eligible for parole in five. but for chilli, she'll always measure time as before the accident and after. >> look at what i said and i said tell me how you feel. do you remember july 9th? >> the other message here is for all drivers, it's an obvious one, but it's a constant reminder. always think twice before drinking and getting behind the wheel. lester? >> jenna, thanks. chilli and her mother are both here. can i call you chilli? is that okay? >> uh-huh. >> tell me about what happened. you were going to get your hair done and your nails done. what do you remember about that day? >> that we had fun. >> you were having fun until the accident, when you got to the hospital. do you remember anything about the accident? what's been the most difficult

part? because in the letter that you wrote to this man, you really described all the things that went on in the hospital. tell me about the kind of therapy and the things you're learning to do. >> therapy is an easy school. the hardest was x-rays. >> x-rays every day, you wrote about in the book, right? and you call her your miracle child, because the news was really not good. >> no. when i arrived at the accident, i saw everybody just waiting there. at the hospital, the doctor said it's best for you to call your pastor. they didn't think she was going to make it. >> but she did make it. she's a strong little girl. >> she went through four surgeries within a month. >> very strong little girl. she went through all the x-rays and all the therapy. i know it's been a difficult road. but she found the strength to write a letter to the person

that hit the car. were you surprised that she was able to put on paper all these thoughts? >> no. i wasn't surprised at all. i know my daughter. she's going to let people know how she feels. >> well, she did. she describes everything she went through. do you feel like reading a little bit of the letter? because you get personal to this person near the end. would you mind reading that to us? >> all of it? >> reporter: just maybe the part at the bottom there that's underlined. >> i would like for you to meet me and my family. i have two sisters, i have two brothers, mom and dad. we have lots of fun and there are days that are bad because i have a hard time getting around. look at what i said and the words i said and tell me how i look and feel. how do you feel?

today. >> did he answer you? what was his reaction when that letter was read in court? do you remember? >> i didn't read it. >> i know the judge read it, but when it was read to you, do you remember what the man's reaction was? >> everybody was tearing up in court. even the judge. >> it was difficult. and this man's been sent away now for ten years. >> yes. >> chilli, how do you feel about this man spending ten years in prison? >> to me, i feel like it's scary to me. >> it's a long time. do you think that maybe you've sent a very important message to people who think they can drink and drive? what's that message? >> to stop drinking and driving. >> do you think you'll write him any more letters? what do you want to say? >> i haven't thought about that yet. >> but you want to stay in contact somehow. are you hoping that he sends you

a letter back and answers and truly apologizes? is that what you want? >> yes. >> an apology? you must be very proud of her. >> i am. >> and what's her prognosis? >> she was diagnosed as a paraplegic. >> but still going through therapy. >> still going to therapy. she believes she's going walk and so do i. >> i know you both have some pretty difficult days. >> yes. >> well, thanks for stopping by. chilli, thanks for writing that letter because i think you send an important message that will hopefully resonate far outside that courtroom and that's a message for all of us. appreciate it. and we're going to go outside now, get another check of the weather from dylan. >> it is a chilly morning in new york city. a little bit breezy, too. but the whole eastern half of the country actually will be enjoying some pretty nice weather today, at least sunny. it is going to be chilly across the northeast, but above average in the middle of the co

good saturday morning everybody. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. we're off to a clear and bright start on your weekend. going to have good weather i think both for your saturday and for your sunday. temperatures in the chilly 30s to get your weekend started so a little extra hot cup of coffee or tea probably get you going this morning. maybe even some hot chocolate not a bad idea. mostly sunny this afternoon. high temperatures reaching up into the low and mid 50s. a little bit more cloud cover tomorrow and then turning mostly cloudy by monday and tuesday but rain drops should stay away. and that's your latest weather. of course, any time you want to get the weather online, you can always check out weather.com. lester? >> all right, dylan.

thanks very much. up next, one of america's most successful businessmen hiding out from authorities as a strange murder mystery unfolds. he'll tell us why right after this. ♪ [ bells dinging ] ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. happier holidays. some people put everything intotheir name on the door,

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build anticipation every day till christmas. elves tried to wrap a pony! you may not have realized you knew his name, but chances are you've had john mcafee's security software on your computer. the tech millionaire is now a fugitive involved in a bizarre crime mystery. michelle franzen has the story. >> reporter: it has all the intrigue of a hollywood movie, a murder mystery set in an exotic location. but this is real life for john mcafee, creator of an anti-virus software program who moved to belize three years ago with his fortune. but now the 67-year-old is in hiding. in a phone interview, mcafee tells nbc news belize authoritiers want to charge him for the shooting death of his 52-year-old neighbor. are you responsible at all for the shooting death? >> of course i'm not

responsible. and it's regrettable. i barely nugentleman. >> reporter: fall was found with a single gunshot wound to his head. he and others complained about mcafee's dog in the past, dogs that had recently been poisoned, but mcafee does not believe fall was involved. >> we did not get along. he did not like my dogs. but he owns dogs. he would never have poisoned my dogs. >> reporter: belize authorities call mcafee a person of interest, but say they only want to talk to him. >> we want to talk with him. what on earth can be wrong with that? >> reporter: mcafee claims he is the target of corrupt officials who want to kill him in. april, local authorities raided mcafee's home, accusing him of operating a drug lab and poss s possessing firearms. >> there's a lot of things going on here. this is not something the authorities are going to turn a blind eye at. >> reporter: wired writer joshua davis travelled to belize to interview mcafee and is in close

contact with the eccentric software pioneer. he says mcafee played russian roulette with a gun during his visit and posed with guns in november for the cover story before his neighbor died. >> i can say he is a bizarre, strange person. do i think he did it? i can't say. >> reporter: meanwhile, mcafee says he has no plans to turn himself in and will fight the allegations. >> i think the eccentricity in some people makes for a more interesting world, but does not make a murderer. >> reporter: for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news news, new york. up next, before you get on the plane for your holiday get-away, you may want to see how some people are trying to make money after your lost luggage. have rheumatoid arthritis, can you start the day the way you want? can orencia help? [ woman ] i wanted to get up when i was ready, not my joints. [ female announcer ] could your "i want" become "i can"?

talk to your doctor. orencia reduces many ra symptoms like pain, morning stiffness and progression of joint damage. it's helped new ra patients and those not helped enough by other treatments. do not take orencia with another biologic medicine for ra due to an increased risk of serious infection. serious side effects can occur including fatal infections. cases of lymphoma and lung cancer have been reported. tell your doctor if you are prone to or have any infection like an open sore or the flu or a history of copd, a chronic lung disease. orencia may worsen your copd. here's information you need to know. orencia is available in two forms, infusion and also self-injection. talk to your doctor to see if orencia is right for you. and see if you can change "i want" to "oh, yes i can!" hellmann's and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious hellmann's.

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♪ oh wow, that is mmm... ♪ in fact it's so mmm you might not believe it's a hundred calories. well ok then, new yoplait greek 100. it is so good. ♪ the height of the travel season is fast-approaching. more passengers flying means more potential for lost luggage.

normally it takes hours to find misplaced bags. but did you ever wonder what happens to all the baggage that never gets claimed? just gets lost out there. well here is a glimpse. >> reporter: it's every traveler's worst nightmare. the conveyer belt stops moving and your luggage is nowhere in sight. lost, gone, never to be seen again? not quite. after 90 days, many of the hundreds of thousands of missing bags make their way from the airport to the auction block and sold to the highest bidder. >> sold! $500. >> reporter: sally and lawrence martin have made a 20-year career out of taking a chance on what's inside of that. >> what do you think's back here? there's something in here. >> there is. >> it's an antique book. >> reporter: they travel to the world's airports in search of hidden treasures. >> we get really lucky. >> reporter: and that's the premise of the travel channel show "baggage battles", where

billy leroy and mark meyer square off against each other. >> fool's gold. i want to strangle him. i'm gambling here. there's no sure bet. >> when it comes to bidding, they are my enemy. >> ralph and billy -- >> reporter: telling people about the horses. these guys bet on baggage. >> 120. 130. >> reporter: but here's the chasm before they bid, they can't look inside. they've got to go with their gut. you say that you need need to look. >> some bags scream out to you and others are just leave me alone. >> every book tells a story. every bag tells a story. >> and they really do. >> reporter: one thing all of these have in common, missing tags. but to make sure your bags don't become a part of this story, lawrence and sally have one very important piece of advice.

>> just don't put your name and address on the outside. inside, put a big piece of paper with your name and address on it. as soon as you open up the bag, there it is. that's the biggest tip i can give anybody. >> reporter: or else, your loss may just be someone else's treasure. >> this is so cool. >> you never know what's in the next bag. there could be the declaration of independence. just ahead, could it really be the end of twinkies? we'll look at why the iconic treats means so much to so many people. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," the potential dangers of cheerleading. plus, the young woman who walked into a plane propeller talks about faith and putting her life together nearly one year later.

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7:56. good morning everyone. i'm richard jordan. making news this morning a former private school teacher is in jail over allegations he sexually abused at least four students more than 40 years ago. 73-year-old christopher coloman was arrested yesterday after a woman told police he sexually abused her when he was her teacher at potomac school in mclean in the 1960s. she was just 12 years old at the time. since the woman first made the claim three more women have come forward. cloweman is charged under fairfax county's 1960s penal code. one of the year's most high profile charities is getting ready to demonstrate here in washington. supporters of invisible children the charity that made the viral video kony 2012 will attend a

global summit this morning at the washington convention center to press leaders on stopping joseph kony. he is the man said to be responsible for the kidnapping and murder of thousands of children and forcing them to serve in his lords resistance army. this afternoon the group will head to the white house with plans of surrounding the building. storm team meteorologist chuck bell has a check of your forecast next. stay with us. #

. good morning everybody. the sun is shining. a beautiful day today. off to a chilly start. temperatures mostly in the 30s for now. we'll be rising into the low 40s shortly. already 40 at national airport. still 36 in montgomery county. 37 degrees for leesburg and 30 in winchester. so for today plenty of sunshine. good-looking day today. temperatures up into the low and mid 50s. then for tomorrow, still no threat for rain but a little bit more cloud cover tomorrow. that'll hold temperatures down just a smidgeon. upper 40s and low 50s on your

sunday. back to you. >> thanks. another news update in 25 minutes and a full 90 minutes at 9:00. first let's go back to the "today" show. welcome back to "today," saturday morning, the 17th day of november. >> not december yet. not yet. >> i almost said it. november 2012. we've got a great crowd in the plaza waving hello to their friends and family back home. actually, they're screaming hello. yeah. have at it. r thanks to them for spending part of their saturday with us. back inside studio 1a. i'm lester holt along with erica hill. >> that's my fault because i was talk about christmas decorations before i came back on the air. i had you in december. >> we were talking about thangig

lights. just ahead, former cia director david petraeus testifies on capitol hill. he was hidden from view as he went to testify in secret about his old job, and what he knows about the attack in benghazi, libya, on 9/11 of this year. plus, the danger of cheerleading. hear what doctors are saying about this risk. sometimes i kind of hold my breath. >> cringe a little bit when they flip in the air. it's been nearly a year since lauren scruggs' tragic accident. she walked into a plane's propeller, losing a hand and an eye. they join us live in an exclusive interview that talk about what has gotten them through this difficult time. pretty inspiring group of people right there. then we switch gears, talking a little thanksgiving and all the trimmings with sandra lee. >> i think she'll start us off with some cocktails. and caramel. i remember reading something about that. want to begin this half-hour

with the tense situation going on in the middle east. hamas and israel exchange fire overnight. the israeli military has now massed tanks and troops along the border with gaza, signaling a ground invasion could be imminent. richard engel is in gaza. richard, what's happening there this morning? >> reporter: good morning. israel has also sent troops and military hardware to the border here in gaza. inside gaza city, there have been more air strikes. in fact, there was an air strike here not long ago. we can hear israeli drones in the sky, as this conflict continues to escalate. gaza's skyline last night, as israel launched more than 200 air strikes to destroy hamas rockets and punish the hamas government and perhaps prepare the ground for an invasion that could become a blood bath. but hamas was still able to fire

back, launching rockets into southern israel. many of them were intercepted by israel's iron dome defense system. in gaza city, there is no real air defense, and the hamas prime minister won't be meeting any more officials in his office. yesterday, he greeted egypt's prime minister here. today, the tunisian foreign minister's delegation could only look at the rubble. witnesses say the prime minister's office was hit by at least four israeli air strikes. this was the symbol of hamas's authority in the gaza strip. now hamas's top leaders have gone into hiding. so israel is hunting them down in their homes. israel flattened this apartment building where a hamas police official was living. amazingly, the 35 residents inside escaped as the building pancaked. but next door, a middle schoolteacher who says he isn't involved with hamas, told me his five children are now in the

hospital. >> translator: the israelis aren't being precise. i didn't launch any rockets at tel aviv. there is no excuse. >> reporter: residents salvaged what they could. so did this 4-year-old. these are childhood memories she's unlike tloi forget. in most of gaza, the streets are closed. men steeled their nerves, watching nonstop hamas videos now on tv that praise the militants. gazans know they can expect more destruction and more deaths. several middle east leaders, including the turkish prime minister, are meeting today in cairo, but so far, there is no real talk of a cease fire. lester? >> we can hear those drones behind you. what just happened there, richard? >> reporter: it sounds like a rocket was just launched coming out of some part of here in gaza city heading in the direction of

israel. it will take a couple of minutes before it lands. it's heading in the direction of what appears to be a city that was hit by similar rockets earlier today, and according to the israeli media, three israelis were lightly injured in that attack. we'll know what the result is of this quite soon. >> okay. we just heard that. thank you, richard engel, appreciate it. now here's erica. >> reporter: turning now to latest on general david petraeus. on friday, he testified on capitol hill about the deadly attack of benghazi, libya, as new information emerges about the women involved in the scandal that ended his career. kristin welker is in our washington bureau with the latest. >> reporter: general petraeus snuck in and out of the capitol on friday, but his testimony is still making waves with lawmakers, some saying it only raises more questions about the way the administration handled the benghazi attack. we are learning that both women at the center of this scandal have tie tas go all the way to the white house.

general david petraeus was whisked to capitol hill friday to testify about the attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi. due to the fire storm surrounding his life, reporters were blocked inside the building to "spare him embarrassment." >> general petraeus's briefing was comprehensive. i think it was important. >> reporter: but his testimony is raising more questions for some congressional leaders. lawmakers say petraeus testified that the cia immediately believed that terrorists were involved in the september 11 benghazi assault, a stark contrast to the account u.n. ambassador susan rice gave in the days after the incident. >> our current assessment is that what happened in benghazi was, in fact, initially a spontaneous reaction. >> reporter: some lawmakers said the discrepancy was the result others noted the cia's initial assessment of terrorism was classified, in part to conceal the role that terrorists played, and therefore not included in the talking points rice was

given. >> the original talking points were much more specific about al qaeda involvement, and yet the final ones said indication of extremists. >> reporter: democrats defended the administration, saying rice was limited in how much she could say publicly about the incident. >> i don't think she should be pilloried for this. she did what i would have done or anyone else would have done. >> reporter: meanwhile, new details emerged friday about the two women at the center of the petraeus affair scandal. according to a white house official, jill kelley and her twin sister had lunch twice at the white house, invited by a mid level staffer whom they'd met at mcdill air force base. they also toured the building on november 4th just days before petraeus wouldresign. kelley even boasted about the troy polamalu tampa's mayor, a friend, saying ps, i was at the white house with my friends in the administration this weekend. the stress was surreal! paula broadwell, the biographer who was having an affair with petraeus, also visited the white

house complex twice for meetings on afghanistan in the executive office building. back on capitol hill, those who attended petraeus's testimony said he apologized for his behavior. >> he was very sorry that this occurred and that anything that occurred with respect to his personal situation had nothing to do with the way he handled benghazi. >> reporter: lawmakers who were in the room also said that petraeus's resignation had nothing to do with the consulate attacks, saying it was solely to do with the fallout from his admitted extramarital affair. want to turn back to the news desk. jenna wolf with more of the day's top stories. >> bloodstained books and school bags are strewn along railroad tracks in southern egypt this morning. at least 47 children ages 4 to 6 were killed today when their bus was slammed into by a speeding train. egypt's railway system has a poor safety record, mostly due to bad management and poor maintenance. the coast guard is still looking for two oil workers missing in the gulf of mexico after a fire critically hurt

four others. officials say the workers were cutting an oil line with a torch. vapors in the line ignited leading to an explosion and fire. the coast guard says no oil is coming from the well. a southwest missouri man is charged with planning a mass shooting at a theater, showing the premiere of the new "twilight" movie. police arrested this 20-year-old man after his mother told them she feared her son bought weapons similar to those used at a mass shooting a at colorado movie theater. he bought tickets to the "twilight" movie and planned to shoot people inside that theater. the police chief says he is under a doctor's care for mental illness and that he has been off his medication. congressional leaders are voicing confidence they can reach a deal to avoid the so called fiscal cliff. top democrats and republicans spoke after a closed door meeting friday with president obama. the lawmakers need to reach a deal with the president to avert a series of tax increases and spending cuts that are scheduled to take effect on january 1st.

president obama takes a brief break from the negotiations today. he will attend the east asia summit and seek to counter the shadow being cast over the region by china. and new meaning to the term girls weekend. 28 women cram themselves in a mini cooper on the banks of the river thames this week. have you been in the cooper? it comfortably seats two. these women invited 26 more. they had to stay in the mini with all the doors and windows shut for five seconds for the new guinness record to stand. said one of the women afterwards, "well, that was interesting." and finally, take a look at this picture. it shows president obama jokingly mimicking u.s. olympic gymnast micayla maroney's not impressed look. they were greeting members of the 2012 u.s. olympic gymnastics team in the oval office earlier this week. that is the news. now let's get anotherheck of the weather from dylan. >> that's a hard face to hold to be unimpressed standing next to

the president. we are looking at a pretty chilly morning here in new york city. the whole northeast will be seeing below average temperatures. it's the middle of the country that's good morning everybody. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. our weekend is off to a very pleasant start. tons of sunshine for now. getting exactly ten hours of daylight today and we'll make the most of it with all the sunshine. temperatures now reaching 40 degrees downtown but still in the chilly 30s across charles county, maryland, in the low 40s down into st. mary's county and out across parts of northern virginia temperatures generally

in the mid and upper 30s. full sunshine today. temperatures up into the low 50s. a little more cloud cover into tomorrow and the early parts of and i found a huge group of girls here. you girls turned a road trip into something more, huh? >> yes, we did. our community came together and we brought a whole bus load of stuff up for the hurricane victims. >> that's wonderful. thank you so much for doing that. lester? a dancer on the orlando magic stunt team is recovering after a nasty fall while performing this week. it's once again drawing attention to the dangers of cheerleading. here's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: the crowd never saw it coming. 31-year-old jamie wood, part of the orlando magic stunt team lost her balance and tumbled to the floor earlier this week during a game against the new york knicks. the arena watched in silence as paramedics rushed to help her.

then applause. wood waved to fans as she was taken off the court on a stretcher. >> i think it was honestly just a freak accident. what she was doing when she fell wasn't even an advanced stunt. >> reporter: a freak accident? perhaps. but injuries to cheerleaders are surging. you can find videos of similar plunges all over youtube, and last year, there were more than 38,000 emergency room visits related to cheerleading. now there's even a reality show called "cheer" on cable channel cmt documenting the intense world of competitive cheerleading. >> as people do more cheerleading and get more advanced, they do much more complicated stunts. >> reporter: so last month, the american academy of pediatrics recommended that cheerleading be classified as an official sport, mandating qualified coaches, better medical care, and limits on practice time. >> the risk of catastrophic injuries where patients have a permanent disability is higher than any other sport for female

athletes. of all the catastrophic injuries, it's about 2/3 of them come from cheerleading for high school and college girls. >> reporter: lauren jackson knows that all too well. nine years ago, she fell on her neck during high school cheerleading tryouts. >> had it had stricter guidelines and regulations and precautions, this might have been prevented. >> reporter: as for the magic stunt performer, the team says she's in stable condition after suffering three vertebra fractures and a broken rib. she's expected to fully recover. for "today," gabe gutierrez, nbc news. up next here on "today," is the twinkie about to go extinct? i think this one already did. it's pretty stale. we'll tell you more after this. s when you can prevent the acid that's causing it with prevacid24hr. with one pill prevacid24hr works at the source to prevent the acid that causes frequent heartburn all day and all night.

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an intense burning sensation i woke up with this horrible rash on my right side. like somebody had set it on fire. and the doctor said, cindie, you have shingles. he said, you had chickenpox when you were a little girl... i said, yes, i did. i don't think anybody ever thinks they're going to get shingles. but it happened to me. for more of the inside story, visit shinglesinfo.com twinkie fans are rushing the stores these days with word that their maker hostess is going out of business. you really ordered your own

stash? >> i ordered 100, because i figured that will last me for the rest of my life. this is my single favorite junk food indulgence, so the thought of it going away is driving me crazy. now that they could be going away, people are trying to get their last taste of the sweet favorite. it's being called the twinkie apocalypse. the sad ending for the snack with the creamy middle has many up in arms. >> all my life, i've been eating hostess cakes. i don't know what i'm going to do without them being here. this is going to be a sad home for me. >> it's a sad day. it's been in business for so long. >> i'm going to be upset. i grew up with twinkies. >> reporter: across the country, twinkies along with other hostess snacks have been flying off store shelves and landing online, becoming one of the hottest commodities on e-bay. the starting bid for a single twinkie, $5,000, and if you want ten boxes, a whopping $1.5

million. >> the twinkie represents certain nostalgia. >> what do we have? hostess twinkies. >> its going away is something that makes people feel like an era is over. >> you get a big delight in every bite of hostess twinkies. >> i love them. >> high? >> because they're so delicious and they have cream. >> and what do you think? how do you feel when these are going away? >> they're a childhood memory. >> so what are you going to do now that you can't get them anymore? >> i don't know. maybe write a letter to them. >> reporter: while some aren't commenting on the letter. >> this is a setup. i am not answering questions on twinkies. >> others have gone all out. >> save the twinkie. save an american icon. i'm wendy williams and i approve this message. >> reporter: a few brave souls are preparing for twinkie's twilight. >> it may be time to say goodbye to the twinkie. i feel sad about it, i'm

heartbroken, but i do feel like we're a strong enough country to move on from it. >> reporter: that may not be the end of the line for twinkies. there are several companies rumored to have an interest in buying hostess. this isn't just about saving a brand, but also the jobs of 18,000 workers who will now be unemployed. >> there's a lot of brands here. can we settle something right now? i said -- earlier i said yo-hos. and this guy says -- this is ivan, he says they're not called yo-hos. either yodles or ho-hos. wasn't there a yo-ho? i think there was one. >> if you take half of one, half of the other. >> okay. all right, mr. kay, maybe you're right. never mind. >> all right, thanks. by the way, if i need a sweet tooth fix -- >> it's going to cost you, though. still ahead, cracker jacks with a new kick. find out just what's new in our

weekly rewind. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," we're still eating. sandra is here with some recipes to spice up your thanksgiving table. >> that's why i love this show. plus, lauren scruggs and her family are here to talk about the long road back for a look at the event that changed her life. but first, these messages. at the home depot. we can upgrade to sleeker... larger and more energy-efficient at black friday prices... today. uh-oh. looks like the secret's out. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now, get this maytag 4-door refrigerator for just $1698. save $800. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center

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good morning. it is 8:26 on this saturday, november 17th. i'm angie goff. topping your news 4 today, d.c. police are investigating a deadly stabbing near the woodly park metro station. it happened just after 1:00 this morning. police say they found two men stabbed, one in the chest, one in the face. the man with the chest wound died. the knife was found on the metro tracks and police say they have five people in custody. you're taking a live look at the new way to get around in virginia. the 495 express lanes opened earlier this morning. this is near the entrance to the lanes in springfield. we haven't seen too much traffic on the lanes just yet but have a couple more accidents that were reported. they will get their first true test come monday.

remember, in order to ride, you do need one of those ez passes to pay for the toll. all that driving in virginia could soon cost you more. state senator john watkins is proposing a 14 cent increase on the gas tax. that would bring the total to more than 31 cents a gallon. watkins says the increase would help pay for the $730 million worth of road construction projects, eliminating the need for more toll roads. the proposed tax hike will be introduced in january. on the rails expect delays on metro this morning. on the red line there will be single tracking between tacoma and forest glen. on the blue line single tracking between stadium armory and addison road. and there is also single tracking between pentagon city and reagan national airport on the blue and yellow line and all that single tracking is only scheduled for today. storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell has a look at your forecast right after the break. stay with us. ♪

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good saturday morning. off to a bright and sunny start. on the cool side but now that the sun is out temperatures are jumping up very nicely. up into the upper 30s and low 40s in many spots already. still a little bit cooler west of the blue ridge and the shenandoah valley where temperatures are lingering in the upper 20s and low 30s. everybody off to a chilly start but with abundant sunshine today we'll climb up into the low and mid 50s for a time this afternoon and then back into the 40s by 6:00 this evening.

there's your seven-day forecast. plenty of clouds coming back from sunday afternoon up through about tuesday but not much of a rain threat. >> chuck, thanks. 90 minutes of news, weather, a we are back on this lovely crisp fall morning. saturday, november 17th, 2012. some nice friends on the plaza with us. a couple of reindeers that we picked up. doing a little christmas shopping here in new york city. i'm erica hill along with lester holt, jenna wolf and dylan drier. it's not cold at all, right? we just keep telling ourselves that. >> crisp. >> this is arctic. still ahead this half-hour, lauren scruggs, you may remember her story. she survived a near fatal accident. actually, walking into a plane propeller. look at her now. she lost a hand. she lost an eye. it's an incredible story of her

recovery over the past year, nothing short of remarkable. she's here this morning with her family talking about what got them through it. thanksgiving is coming up right around the corner. sandra lee is going to stop by. she's got some great holiday preparation ideas. i'm starting my baking as soon as i get off the show this morning. >> nice. >> a little overachiever. >> i'm throwing in something for you guys. and then, in our weekly rewind, we've sort of targeted the bizarre and the interesting and the what was that. >> like that. >> we have a fine array of topics to discuss this morning, like that. we'll have more of that coming up in this half-hour. >> but first, dylan dreyer has a check of the weather for us. >> are we going with crisp or arctic? >> this is arctic. no gloves. >> but either way, it is a very chilly morning here in new york city. the middle of the country is actually going to enjoy above

average temperatures by several degrees. it's looking pretty nice, with highs in the 60s all through the good morning everybody. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. sunshine for now and sunshine for the rest of your saturday. a little bit more cloud cover coming our way for tomorrow so if you need 100% sunshine to feel good, today is the better day for you. temperatures now in the upper 30s and low 40s. we're headed into the low and mid 50s for a little while this afternoon. plenty of sunshine. not a bad day. tomorrow though a little more cloud cover and as a result a

touch cooler. highs in the upper 40s and low 50s. more clouds by monday and tuesday. and tomorrow night is a big night. it's "sunday night football" night in america. we are heading to pittsburgh for sunday night's game, a big rivalry. the baltimore ravens taking on the pittsburgh steelers. heinz field looks clear and cool. weather should not be a factor. 43 to 47 degrees for "sunday night football" night in america. for your football forecast, or any forecast, for that matter, just go to weather.com. erica? nearly one year ago, lauren scruggs was badly hurt in a tragic accident. the 123-year-old walked into a plane's propeller, losing her left hand and an eye. she opens up about the story in her new book, and we'll talk with lauren, her parents and her twin sister in just a moment. but first, natalie morales looks at lauren's life after the accident.

>> reporter: just a year ago, lauren scruggs' future was bright. the beautiful girl her friends called lo-lo had big plans and even bigger dreams as she pursued a career in fashion. >> i am lauren scruggs with lo-lo mag. >> reporter: but in one awful moment in december 2011, everything changed. she found herself lying on a tarmac fighting for her life after being struck by a moving airplane propeller. lauren's mother sheryl. >> i could see the plane and i could see lauren just lying face down. all i had at that point was prayer. that's all i could do. i wasn't really sure what was happening. i didn't know if she was alive. i couldn't see where the blood was coming from. she was laying in a big pool of blood. >> reporter: nearly a year after that horrific night, lauren is doing well and adjusting to her new challenges. now what is your new normal?

>> my new normal is just the way my body is now with one eye and one hand and going through healing. >> reporter: it's been a long road for lauren, filled with months of daily physical therapy and learning to live with her prosthetic eye and left hand. >> reporter: you say in the book that the hardest thing for you was really losing the hand. when you were going through the process of getting fit for prosthetics. that's really when it hit you. >> yeah. because i'm thinking, i'm having to get this and i never would have thought that, you know? >> reporter: this is your second home? >> it is. >> reporter: lauren took me to athletes performance, where she works out, building her strength. she says working out has been key to her recovery. >> let's see if you've got some game, natalie. >> reporter: she even challenged know a push-up competition. >> she's a competitor, this one. >> reporter: lauren scruggs stands as a lesson in fortitude and resilience. she faces her new challenges with grace and a determination to make the most of her second

chance at life. >> lauren scruggs is here along with her parents sheryl and jeff and her twin sister brittany. >> good morning. >> it's such an inspiring story. we see you and all of the progress you've made. it hasn't even been a year yet. that's a lot to go through, and to be at this point where you seem to be doing so well. you seem to be thriving. what got you here, though? how do you motivate yourself to get up in the morning? >> well, i think it's mostly just my faith in the lord and i know that he has a great purpose in it. he's just poured out his love on me and grace on me and saved my life, and has allow know thrive in life after this, and also just my community of people around me and the support of my friends and my family. it's just been amazing. >> you're a very tight-knit group. you talk about a purpose for this. sheryl, i know you wrote about this, writing deep down i knew that god had known this accident was going to happen, that he

could have stopped it, but didn't. so god must have a purpose. when something tragic happens, everybody seems to have that question of why. and they're not always able to reconcile it. do you feel that you've found what the purpose was in this? >> absolutely. you know, god doesn't give us any more than we can handle. and the one thing -- one verse that i stand on is god can do immeasurably more than you could ever ask or imagine. when i relate that to this accident, i know that god didn't give her any more than she could handle and that he's going to do a lot with her life. so, you know, you just have to believe in god and what he can do. you just have to go along with that. >> that positivity. >> i don't question it. >> and the positivity has really helped, too. i know you've all encouraged lauren over the past year. when you took some of your first steps and how you encouraged her to go farther and do more. you don't actually remember that moment, do you?

>> no, i don't. >> it was early in the hospital and her physical therapist wanted her to get up and walk and they asked her to take 20 steps and we were just all pulling for her. it was really an answer to prayer that she would surpass what any of our expectations were. and we walked down the hall and then she said 30. and we're going, well, what does that mean? 30 steps. that just kind of defines lauren. she's so courageous. so we were just grateful for that moment. >> brittany, as twins, we always hear stories about twins and how you have this bond that's indescribable to those that are singletons. but it's really fascinating to me. you lost your left eye, lauren. your left eye was actually twitching for how long after? >> it was actually the period of time where we hadn't decided whether she was actually going to have her eye removed, so it was about two weeks that we had to make that decision. it was for about two weeks. really until her eye surgery that it was twitching about every 20 seconds during the day. >> did you two talk about that at the time or did you wait to

tell her until after? >> no, i didn't talk to her about it at the time. it was early on in the hospital, so she wasn't quite with it. i don't know that she would have understood what was going on. it was definitely something we all discussed. >> she called me and said mom, you're not going to believe this, but my left eye is twitching every 20 seconds. and it won't stop. and it did that for about two weeks. >> that is really wild. you've been really friendly with bethany hamilton. she wrote the forward to your book. how important has that friendship been for you having someone to relate to? >> it's a blessing because she's someone that's around my age and we can relate in that way and i can ask her, bethany, how do you do this with only one arm? she just prays with me a lot and we just encourage each other emotionally, so it's been a wonderful friendship, and i'm so grateful that she reached out to me. >> and she taught you to do your

hair with one hand, i understand. which is a big thing for any woman. what an important step that is for you. really a pleasure to have you all here. keep us posted, because we know great things are ahead. >> thank you. once again, the name of the book is "still lolo." up next, thanksgiving just five days away, which means it is time to head into the kitchen. but first, these messages. cbo. cheddar... bacon...onion. yeah it's a... it's threemendous. [ male announcer ] say hello to mcdonald's new cbo.

smooth cheddar, crispy bacon, grilled onions on the angus third pounder or premium chicken sandwiches. the simple joy of... threemendous. [ female announcer ] nature valley granola bars, rich dark chocolate, toasted oats. perfect combinations of nature's delicious ingredients, from nature valley. ♪ nature valley granola bars, nature at its most delicious.

this morning on "today's" holiday kitchen, we're getting ready for thanksgiving. the turkey is often the main event, but there's no reason your side dishes can't be the star. >> sandra lee is here with some fast family favorites that will easily fit into any holiday meal. she's out with two new shows on the food network and the cooking channel as well as the premiere issue of "sandra lee the magazine." nice to have you here. >> hello. here's a cocktail. >> i love this. >> this is a new kind. >> this looks like a dessert. it's gorgeous. >> let's find out how this is all made. >> we're going to do this family style. i'm going to make a dish with every single one of you. we all know lester loves a good cocktail. actually, that one's mine. >> oh, sorry. that is insanely rich-looking. >> you, by the way, are premiering two new flavors on the market. so first thing, in your shaker, you have ice.

you'll put some espresso in there. so put that in there. that will keep you up all day long. now, these are the two new vodkas on the market, which i love. this is the iced cake. so put that in there. i know you like to free pour. >> just a little splash. >> and this is the caramel. this kiss caramel, this is a kissing caramel cocktail. >> that's kcaramel flavored vodka. >> put your i think finger in t. not the whole finger. >> he follows instructions well. >> now, put the top on. shake it carefully. and pour that in here. smell this. that's insane. >> oh, my gosh. that does smell good. >> add a bow and it's a gift, right? >> if you hadn't opened it, i would have taken it and given it to someone. >> and then we put it in --

>> the reason why you have a strainer, we're going to do -- >> oh, i messed it up. >> that's okay. i'm going to take care of you. >> i don't actually make them. >> you're going to make this. your favorite new cocktail. >> this is really tasty. >> a little bit of -- a dollop of whipped topping. you've been talking about caramel sauce all morning. >> check that out. >> this is better than a twinkie. >> and that's coming next. >> there you go. >> i have to try this. >> i have to say it's not as sweet as i thought it would be, which i really like. >> it's not super sweet, but it's good. >> so you make the corn bread ahead of time. >> or buy it, crumble it, let it air out. so it's nice and crusty. when you have a liquid, you don't want it to be mush. in here, you'll put celery. green onions. this is campbell's -- >> it's a soup.

>> no, chicken with rice soup. >> really? it's not too much liquid? >> no. this is going to be poultry seasoning. mix, mix, mix. into the pan or into the turkey. if it's in the turkey go to the deepest part, the thigh, and check it. it should read around -- in the stuffing, around 160 and the thigh should be around 170. >> even if you do it outside, it will be moist enough. >> you can do it outside. that's what gravy is for. >> we're not trying the stuffing? >> in here is some brown butter. a couple tablespoons. you'll put in pecans. >> into the butter? >> yeah, into the butter. then maple syrup. >> calorie-free and the whole thing, right? >> it's low-fat. everything is. give it a whiz. >> this incredible vodka? >> actually, it would cook out, right? >> it would. >> that looks amazing.

>> two spoons, toss. now, those are roasted sweet potatoes in the oven about 30 minutes in a pan. >> once they're done you do all of this. >> exactly. >> now, here you are going to get the brussels sprouts. this is a little bit of just -- well, i made some bacon. >> i saw that. >> then some onions in here. you're going to pour that over the brussels sprouts. >> you've got the onions and the bacon. the bacon juices. >> pour that over. you're going to naught in the ov -- put that in the oven. we're talking about 20 minutes. you want to take it out about five minutes before it's done. put on some honey and apple cider vinegar because you'll get a sweet and sour flavor. >> is that what helps to crisp it up? >> it does add some sweetness. they'll already been brown. >> you guys want to give this a shot? here's forks over here. >> before we finish this off, we

have to put the bacon on top of that. >> of course. >> that's the most important part. >> i hope you like bacon. >> what a way to get people to eat brussels sprouts. cover it with bacon and onions. i've heard our executive produce ser a b-- producer is a fan of brussels sprouts and bacon. >> it doesn't hurt that you put bacon and caramel and apple cider on it. you can put that on just about anything. >> caramel vodka. >> throw it in and you're good to go. >> i have a feeling lester is taking that home. >> sandra, awesome. have a happy holiday. our weekend rewind looks back at some of the weekend's funniest clips. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on "today's" weekly rewind, we're looking back at some of the week's most clicked on, talked about and hilarious web findings. jenna is here with some stories you may have missed. >> some for very good reasons. of these super serious stories out there, we're going to veer way off course for a few minutes to chat all things interesting. first up, the word gift. do you know it? it should. it's oxford dictionary's word of the year. gif is an acronym for a compressed file. like this one of us. this is a gif. whatever you were doing, it's a gif. >> is it gif? >> no, that's peanut butter. >> they come in chocolate

flavors, too, by the way. >> gluten-free. >> probably. >> other words on the short list this year included yolo, as you only live once. nomo-phobia caused by being without one's mobile phone. left off the list this year was you are getting too old for these phones. >> nomo-phobia? >> it's called obvious. i don't have my iphone. we've all been there before. one too many drinks and an escalator. am i right? you get where i'm going with this. this guy is like i'm drunk, but nobody can tell. i'm just going to walk down these steps here. i should be totally fine. he tries and he tries. but in the battle of man versus escalator, escalator wins. hilarious. >> he is really not giving up. it's amazing. >> he has to get downstairs. he doesn't understand the problem. >> she finally gave up on him. >> and that's the reason why you

have to drink responsibly. >> he's thinking when i drink, time stands still. that's because you're not going anywhere. >> drink, fine, but take the real steps. and then couples who switch outfits and get photographed. why? not important. just go with it. it's called switcharoo. the man wears the wife's outfit. >> i don't like where this is going to go. >> i think we did a switcharoo on the today show. didn't we? >> i knew i wouldn't like where this is going. >> that is actually hilarious but awful at the same time. >> does it make my hips look big? >> i want to see you in heels and how does that work. >> he would lift up that hem line a little bit so we could see your footwear. >> i knew i didn't like where that was going. >> you're quite a woman, lester. >> yes, thank you very much. >> what happens when you mix popcorn, caramel and red bull? the end result is cracker jacked. it's a new snack heading to

store shelves near you. it contains 70 my gra 0 milligr caffeine. also, it makes baseball games a heck of a lot more fun when you're cracker jacked. >> absolutely not. that is so unacceptable. i'm sorry. and i'm liberal, you know that. i'll go for pretty much anything as long as it makes you happy that. is out. >> you would think sugar is enough to jack you up. but they're adding more caffeine it to. >> it's like a drug as far as i'm concerned. have you ever drank that stuff? >> i did once. they scraped me off the ceiling about six hours later. >> sandra, you've got to be part of this more often. outspoken. >> i like it. >> we'll be right back. but first, these messages. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law.

♪ open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. faster than mandy can hang up on mr. monday. you hang up first. [ female announcer ] in just 60 seconds, you've got snack-defying, satisfying totino's pizza rolls. [ ringing ] it's on. let's roll. [ male announcer ] the way it moves. the way it cleans. everything about the oral-b power brush is simply revolutionary. oral-b power brushes oscillate, rotate and even pulsate to gently loosen and break up that sticky plaque with more brush movements than manual brushes and even up to 50% more than leading sonic technology brushes for a superior clean. oral-b power brushes. go to oralb.com for the latest offers. oral-b power brushes.

hellmann's and holiday leftovers become irresistibly creamy turkey casserole. real delicious hellmann's. bring out the hellmann's. bring out the best. that's going to do it for us on this saturday morning. tomorrow on "today," i'm very excited about this, jenna is joining matthew broderick on broadway. >> on purpose. >> sandra, thank you for

sticking around with us. >> thank you for having me. >> happy thanksgiving. we'll see you later on. everybody have a great day. hi everyone. good morning. i'm richard jordan. >> i'm angie goff. straight ahead on news 4 today breaking news on the beltway just as the brand new express lanes open.

>> what you need to know about motoring in the new era of express lanes. i'm derrick ward with details come ing up on news 4. violence at a metro station overnight turns deadly. what police are saying about a fatal stabbing in the district overnight. >> i'm meteorologist chuck bell. the sun is shining but how long will we get to keep it? will it stay for your whole weekend? i'll give you a complete check of the forecast coming up. popular toys put to the test. we have the top performing items from washington area students. plus the family fair expected to draw thousands this weekend. >> all that and more when you join us for news 4 today. >> we are back in 90 seconds.

good morning. i'm richard jordan. >> i'm angie goff. welcome to news 4 today saturday, november 17th, 2012. cannot believe thanksgiving is just a few days away. >> it looks like we'll have good weather. >> we're hoping for it. hi, chuck. >> we are hoping for it and these hopes are going to be rewarded because we actually have the nice weather out there now and we get to keep the nice weather generally speaking through most of the weekend although i don't think the sky will be quite that blue and pretty tomorrow. still not a bad looking day though. for now temperatures are on their way up thanks to all the sunshine. we made it to 47 now in capital heights, maryland. 39 in waldorf and